Mood Reader: A Genre Sampler Anthology

By Persephone Jayne

Containing 42 stories from authors who met on TikTok, Mood Reader is an anthology like no other. A collaborative group project, paving the way for readers who truly celebrate all genres. Within these pages you'll find, horror, sci-fi, childrens'/parenting, fantasy, romance, suspense, humor, history and a bit of spice. No matter your mood, we hav

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hale Patton
• Release date: Feb 8, 2022
• ISBN: 9781950460182

Persephone Jayne

Persephone Jayne is an EQ coach and practitioner living in New England with her family. She spends her days trying to get three kids to spend time outdoors, writing books, and coaching fellow humans through their EQ journey.

Book preview

Mood Reader

A Genre Sampler Anthology

Stories submitted to Hale Patton Publishing, edited by Persephone Jayne, Amanda Fernandes, B.A. McRae, Carmilla Voiez, Elizabeth Willsea, and Sonya Lawson.

With an introduction by Persephone Jayne of Hale Patton Publishing.

© HalePattonPublishing2021

Introduction © PersephoneJayne2021

All rights reserved

No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage retrieval system without the proper written permission of the individual authors. With the exception of non-profit transcription in Braille, Hale Patton Publishing is not authorized to grant permission for further uses of selections printed in this book without the permission of their authors. Permissions must be obtained from individual authors, contact info for each can be found by clicking on their name in the table of contents. If reading a physical copy, please head and www.halepatton.com to request a media kit.

www.halepatton.com

ISBN: 9781950460182 (eBook)

ISBN: 9781950460199 (paperback)

For all our fellow Mood Readers:

We understood the assignment.

Contents

Introduction

Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Jiya Kaye. The Human Files

CONTENT WARNING: blood, fighting, violence

Shanti Leonard. On The Beach of Broken Shells

Erin Slegaitis-Smith. What The Catching Wood Caught

CONTENT WARNING: violence

Sonya Lawson. Illuminating Manuscript

Elizabeth Willsea. Equals Until Eternity

CONTENT WARNING: attempted suicide & suicide

Kai Mathis. Julia

CONTENT WARNING: death and dying

Erica Jackson. What Lies Within

Mystery

Lucas Barnes. Prepare

CONTENT WARNING: missing person, murder

Christina E. Patrick. Just Desserts

CONTENT WARNING: death, child abuse

Stephanie Houseal. Imaginary

CONTENT WARNING: death

Meta

Monroe A. Wildrose. The Great Journey

Carmilla Voiez. Good News

Rethley Gil Chiru. I Am One With The Universe

Jeni Lee. One Minute of Death

CONTENT WARNING: stroke & stroke symptoms

B. A. McRae. Denouement

CONTENT WARNING: death

Children/Parenting

A.M.Brown. Tired

Zain Patton. First Passengers on a Hot Air Balloon

(Zain is under 18: for contact info email Hale Patton Publishing)

Javier Garay. Make A Grown Up Read This

Persephone Jayne. Leap Day

CONTENT WARNING: infant near death

Juniper Lea. Unknown Caller

Literary Fiction

Carmilla Voiez. The Magpie

B.A. McRae. Periwinkle

Veronique Manifredini. Holy Ransom Demands!

CONTENT WARNING: threats of violence

Melanie S. Wolfe. TikTok Angel

CONTENT WARNING: funeral, grief, regret

Francis Alex Cooke. A Pair of Cokes and a Cream Soda

CONTENT WARNING: language

Melanie Forrest. Departure

Melanie Forrest. Outcasts

CONTENT WARNING: mention of self harm

Lynn Lipinski. Boggle on the Train

Luke Swanson. Black & Brown

CONTENT WARNING: violence, historical depiction of Nazism

Nicole Zelniker. Torn to Pieces

CONTENT WARNING: medical drama, death, mention of substance abuse

Horror

Amanda Fernandes. I Come To The Tree

CONTENT WARNING: murder, blood, implied sexual assault

Stephanie Houseal. Abandoned

CONTENT WARNING: death

April Berry. Emily’s Revenge

CONTENT WARNING: blood, murder

Donna Taylor. Little Black Box

Donna Taylor. Bloom

Karen Ruhman. Lady Of The Night

CONTENT WARNING: murder, mention of sex & SA

Romance

April Berry. Good Fish in the Sea

Kata Cuic. Beloved

CONTENT WARNING: religious satire

Jocelyn Minton. Requiem of Sorrow

CONTENT WARNING: death, homophobia, grief, near death

Carrie Godfrey. Make A Wish

Monica Misho-Grems. I Really Can’t Stay

M. Williams. Chlorine Kisses

Contributors Notes

Introduction By Persephone Jayne

Amidst the 2nd year of a global panini… I turned 42. Yes! That cosmic age where all the secrets of the Universe are revealed. I got this wild idea of producing an anthology of 42 stories, see what I did there? But the catch was I’d only accept works from my tiktok author family. Because, I had found my book family and they were amazing!

I was off and running. I posted about my idea and started accepting submissions.

Then someone pointed out that it might be hard to market a book with no clear genre linking us all together. Well, much how we fight the algorithm and don’t let TikTok niche us, I said, Universally speaking, you can’t pigeon hole me!

So I leaned into it and our Genre Sampler Anthology fell into place as if we had planned it that way all along. Of course we had ;)

The authors in these pages have helped in EVERY aspect of this production. Without them, well, Mood Reader would never have seen the light of day.

It is this group project vibe, this collaboration of the minds, that keeps our book affordable. I’m not producing this to get rich or make money off my friends hard work.

I’m producing this book to celebrate the amazing writers I have met in my 42nd trip around the sun.

Thanks to them Mood Reader is a real thing.

And thanks to you, dear mood reader, for picking up our anthology and giving it a try.

Sci-fi/Fantasy Sci-fi/Fantasy

The Human Files

By Jiya Kaye (CONTENT WARNING: blood, fighting, violence)

Cyrox, The Human Files,

Interaction with a Human, Rule 3

Humans are a warrior race. They abide by the policy of Shoot first, ask questions later. They are known to fight anything and everything – even themselves. For interaction with this race, it is recommended to lift both your hands. It is said that this gesture shows that we, the Ammoths, are unthreatening. However, since the humans perceive everything other than themselves a threat, it is highly recommended that every Ammoth interacting with the Human race engage with the utmost caution.

O

ndith looked up from the copy of The Human Files on his tab. He saw the humans: Kiara Varma, Arno Kanumba, Vasya Pavlovich, and Ammoth Hiran sitting at his table. Human Pablo Hernandez was in the medical bay tending to the injured from their last mission.

He had to remind himself that their names did not need to add the human in front of it.

Ondith was from Amon. His people shared their star with the Ta’als. So, to specify that they came from different planets in the same star system, it became customary to introduce themselves as the Ammoth Ondith, or Ta’al Zengren. He just had to remind himself that the people of other star systems didn’t do that.

Ondith looked down to his tab. He read Rule 3 again before looking at the humans sitting in front of him.

Kiara made a little triangular paper. She was aiming it at Vasya as she tried to flick it. Vasya had his index fingers linked, looking at Kiara in anticipation. Kiara told him that it was like a goal post. Some sort of game they played back on Earth.

The Humans looked peaceful enough, Ondith thought. There hadn’t been many problems with the humans in his crew or any crew he knew of. Where had these observations originated?

Did these observations need an update? Ondith thought again. They had been updated only a few days ago.

Ondith shook his head. He froze when he felt something brush against his feet. In his shock, he      flinched and raised his leg.

He looked down to see a small robot. The robot picked up crumbs of food.

That’s a Roomba, the human cook told him. There’s so many of you to feed; I’m always cooking. He helps me clean.

Him? Ondith asked. Is this an alien species that helps you with your chores? I have not read of them. Ondith was about to greet the Roomba when he heard Oza, their cook, laugh.

It’s a robot, my friend! It’s not another alien! It’s a machine.

That confused Ondith. Why would humans speak with their machines? But that wasn’t the last of his confusion.

Kiara stuck moving eyeballs on the Roomba a few days after she arrived on the spaceship. She called them googly eyes. The eyes seemed to move every which way the Roomba moved. She also said that she still had to name the Roomba.

Humans seemed to have an affinity for animating inanimate objects. Ondith didn’t understand. Mostly because what he saw and what he read about them were two completely different things. Ondith wanted to see a human fight. What was so special about a human in war that almost all the books he’d read mentioned it?

Ondith was the last person to join the crew. This would be their first mission after he’d arrived. Their mission was to monitor any Tra’Khal activity in their area. Maybe he’d get to see humans in action then?

His attention shifted to Kiara when he heard her scream.

Yes! And that’s how you win! she boasted as she got up and moved close to Vasya. She turned to Ondith next. Do you want to play? Her eyebrows shot up, hopeful Ondith would agree.

Before he could answer, an alarm blared across the spaceship. Red light blinked in time with the wail. Ondith looked back at Kiara. Her once smiling face morphed into an expression of serious concentration.

Grab your weapons. We meet in the crew cabins, Vasya, the Captain, ordered. He rushed out of the commons without turning to check his orders were followed.

Arno sprinted behind the captain.

Let’s go, Kiara shouted at Ondith before heading in the opposite direction     .

Before Ondith could move, the red lights  were replaced with blinding white light which seemed to grow ever brighter.

A jolt ran through their spaceship knocking Ondith over. He grunted as he rubbed the area that hit the table as he fell.

Ow! He heard Kiara yell as she hit the side of the chair.

Before Kiara and Ondith could get up, another jolt shook the spaceship. This one was stronger than before. The alarm had stopped long ago. The only sounds that permeated the air were the shouts and screams of injured crew members.

The white light engulfed every one of them. It hurt Ondith to open his eyes. A high-pitched noise pierced his brain. Screams increased as all the crew members covered their ears, trying their best to shield themselves from the noise.

Within minutes, the crew members of SE New Hope fell unconscious, defenseless to the Tra’Khal invasion.

Cyrox, The Human Files,

Interaction with a Human, Rule 9

Humans are greedy. In any situation, individual self-preservation and self-interest outweighs that of their race as a whole. This has caused unwanted troubles and several wars in Human’s past. Common phrase used by humans in this case would be, What’s in it for me? Suggestions for peaceful agreement with Humans in this case would be to provide them something they value before asking for help or consultation.

Ondith rubbed his eyes as he got up. His tight muscles ached as he struggled to stretch. The dull throb at the front of his head circled around to the back.

Good! You’re up. He heard a voice beside him whisper. It sounded like the Ammoth Hiran. Get Human Kiara.

Why is he whispering? Ondith thought. He tried to remember what happened. Images flashed into his mind making him clutch his head.

He remembered.

He remembered the bright white light that surrounded them.

He remembered the piercing noise in his brain.

He remembered watching Kiara hit herself on a chair as she fell.

Opening his eyes, Ondith looked to his side, to where Kiara had fallen. He was alarmed when he didn’t see her. He frantically turned around and let out a breath when he saw that the Human Ki – Kiara – opposite him.

Ammoth Hiran must have moved her, he thought.

Kiara stirred as she woke up. She moaned slightly as she rubbed her eyes and forehead.

Where are we? she asked. Her voice was husky.

Tra’Khal ship, Ammoth Hiran whispered.

With Kiara awake, Ondith looked around his surroundings. They were in a rectangular cage of sorts.  So far, it had only been him, Kiara, and Hiran in one corner. Had they been the last ones to wake?

Vasya, Arno, and a few other Ammoths stood around the cage. They were discussing among themselves.

Where’s everyone else? Kiara asked. Pablo, Oza, Udon, Yava. Where are they?

The Tra’Khal killed them. We are all that is remaining. A hint of sadness tinged Hiran’s voice.

Ondith looked around. Only eight remained from their twenty-member team.

Five Ammoths and Three humans.

Ondith followed Kiara as she approached the group. It seemed that none of the crew members had the chance to send out an SOS. If they were to get out of this one, they would have to go at it alone.

The Tra’Khal had already killed more than half of them. It was only a matter of time before more of them were killed. Ondith didn’t know why, but he kept focusing on Kiara.

Gone were her jovial laughs and smiles. She had a serious expression that he hadn’t seen before. She seemed relaxed, and her face was blank, but it was almost as if he could feel her shaky breath.

Ondith itched to grab his weapon but found nothing. The Tra’Khal must have taken their weapons. Just as he was about to ask what the escape plan was, the door opened.

All eight of them turned toward the door. A being with scaly skin emerged. The chromatic shimmer would have been mesmerizing were it not for the yellowish snake eyes that gazed across at the eight of them, or the rows of yellow teeth revealed when it snarled at the prisoners. Moving to the side, it allowed more Tra’Khal to enter the room.

Holding up a weapon, a Tra’Khal opened the door to their cage. Each Human and Ammoth had their hands tied at their front before they were escorted out. The Tra’Khal held a weapon to the backs of each Human and Ammoth.

Ondith walked beside Kiara, watching the Tra’Khal holding her carefully. He wasn’t particularly violent, but if the Tra’Khal did anything to Kiara, Ondith didn’t think he’d be very pleased.

The group of eight were guided to the cabin. A sharp pain on his calf made him fall to his knees. Ondith looked around. It seemed that his crewmates were in the same position. His jaw tightened as he saw one Tra’Khal walk up to them.

It stood in front of Ammoth Vron. Drawing in close until the Tra’Khal’s nose almost touched Vron’s ears.

Ammoth. The Tra’Khal sneered as Vron flinched back.

That was the only word Ondith understood. The translation device attached to their ears should translate almost a thousand languages around the galaxy. Ondith rubbed his ear against his shoulder. Something must have happened to his device during the attack. All he could hear was a gargled noise every time someone other than an Ammoth talked.

He tried to get some clues as to what was going on by analyzing the situation.

Things became more tense by the minute. The look of disgust in the Tra’Khal’s face morphed into unbridled rage as he shouted at Vron and Vasya. This rage burst as he brought his hand up and slashed Vasya, cutting him deep from chest to face. The Tra’Khal then turned to Vron. His hands dripped with Vasya’s blood as he brought them up to Vron’s neck. He squeezed, sneering as life drained from Vron’s face.

And with a snap of Vron’s neck, the Tra’Khal threw Vron’s body down as if it was nothing. For him, it probably was. Vasya held onto his sides and grew paler by the minute as blood oozed from the wound.

The Tra’Khal finally turned to his men and gestured for them to take the remaining Humans and Ammoths away.

Whispers were hissed between his crewmates as Ondith marched behind them. His back straight as ever. Something about a ransom and getting the Federation to do what the Tra’Khal wanted. He figured that killing the crew was one way to send the Federation a message: the Tra’Khal were serious.

Ondith looked around. If this were to continue, there would be none of them left. The Tra’Khal could come for anyone next: Arno, Hiran, or Kiara. Or even himself. They needed to get out of here if they were to survive.

A plan started to form. This was a Tra’Khal scout ship. He’d studied these ships extensively when he was a kid. There would be safety pods near the cargo bay. Ondith wanted to say something, but he groaned when he remembered      his translation device was destroyed.

What is it? Kiara whispered as she walked beside him.

Ondith learnt a few words and phrases during his short time with the Humans. Most of them were not good but some of them came in handy now.

Distraction, he whispered back, hoping Kiara would understand what he wanted to do.

Kiara looked up at him, searching his eyes. He didn’t know what she saw, but she gave him a grave nod.

Ondith brought his hands up. With an immense force, he punched the Tra’Khal behind him. His Tra’Khal staggered back. Ondith grabbed the laser from the guard’s belt hoop and killed the monster. He turned to Kiara, shooting at the Tra’Khal holding her. Ondith turned to the Tra’Khal on the ground, and with a sneer, shot him.

Moving closer to Kiara, he helped her out of her bindings. When Kiara returned the favor, Ondith checked to see how his other crewmates were faring. Several of them used the distraction as an opportunity. They kicked and punched the Tra’Khal holding them. The only one not fighting was Vasya.

A Tra’Khal guard grabbed Vasya’s neck and lifted him, pointing his laser at Vasya’s abdomen. Vasya had almost no fight left in him. He was losing a lot of blood. His feeble punches had no effect of the monster.

Ondith rushed towards Vasya as Hiran shot the Tra’Khal. Vasya’s labored breath frightened Ondith. He had already lost too many crewmates.

No.

Not crewmates.

Ondith had lost so many friends within such a short time. He wasn’t going to let Vasya die as well.

He carried Vasya, careful not to hurt the man any further. Ondith realized he hadn’t seen Kiara in a while. He looked back to see where she was.

His mouth opened wide at the sight before him. He was sure it would be etched in his mind from that moment on.

For, in that moment, he understood Rule 3 of The Human Files.

It seemed that hearing the commotion, a swarm of Tra’Khal came rushing. However, none of the six Humans or Ammoth even felt the oncoming Tra’Khal.

Because amid the carnage of the oncoming swarm, was Kiara.

One woman against an army of Tra’Khal.

Her lasers blared as she shot Tra’Khal after Tra’Khal. Not stopping for a moment to consider her injuries. Ondith saw a gash in her thigh and her upper arm.

Every time her laser lost its charge, she dropped the gun, bent down and picked up another from the fallen Tra’Khal and shot again.

The number of Tra’Khal descending upon her only increased. Kiara stopped for a moment and turned around.

Go! she shouted at them.

Someone tugged Ondith’s arm. Before he turned to leave, he saw Kiara pick up another laser and what seemed to be a hammer. She swung the hammer and bashed the ones near her, while shooting the ones farther away     . She was a force to reckon with.

And Ondith understood.

Humans were a warrior race. They might have other attributes, but nothing could beat them in brutality. Nothing could stop them. And Ondith feared for any poor soul that made the Humans their enemy.

Cyrox, The Human Files,

Interaction with a Human, Rule 1

Humans are one of the apex predators of      Planet Earth. Considering all the other animals of Earth, this was not our initial assumption. Humans have no evolutionary advantage, whatsoever. They have no claws, night vision, or any advantage that awards them the title of ‘Apex Predator’. However, this disadvantage can be overlooked.

Humans have a unique capacity for endurance and intelligence that puts them in a category of both a ‘Persistence Hunter’ and an ‘Ambush Hunter". Meaning, if a Human targets you, it does not matter if you hide at the edges of the galaxy, they can and will, somehow, find you. It is only a matter of time.

Do not make a Human your enemy.

Ondith carried Vasya as he and his crewmates ran across the Tra’Khal ship, searching for the safety pods to escape. Ondith kept glancing back to see if Kiara would follow.

But it was just empty.

He trailed his crewmates as they weaved around the spaceship. All breathed a sigh of relief when they reached the cargo bay.

All of them, except Ondith.

He had yet to see Kiara. He knew she was still alive. She was the only one stopping the Tra’Khal from following. If the Tra’Khal hadn’t found them, it was because she was still holding them back.

Ondith didn’t know how much longer she could hold on. She was already injured.

From The Human Files, Ondith knew Humans could recover from anything save a direct headshot – sometimes even surviving that.

However, he didn’t know if Humans could survive being torn apart by Tra’Khal. And he didn’t want Kiara testing that theory.

They were about to turn right into another corridor when Ammoth Zeka started shooting. Ondith looked forward quickly to see a Tra’Khal standing in front of them.

The Tra’Khal that had held Vron as the other killed him.

Ondith cursed, still holding onto Vasya. All of them hid behind pillars and carts, trying to avoid the Tra’Khal’s laser fire.

Ondith heard a groan from one of his crew members. Ammoth Shah’sun had been hit. Dark blue blood oozed from the wound in his side, turning his shirt black.

Shots from the Tra’Khal did not stop. Ondith covered his head as Vasya lay beside him. Arno signaled to him, moving his mouth, but Ondith couldn’t hear anything in the laser fire. Even if he could hear, Ondith wouldn’t understand Arno. His translation device had been broken. Ondith tapped his ear and shook his head making Arno sigh in exasperation.

Arno gestured to Ondith and everyone else to go to the cargo bay while he distracted the Tra’Khal. Although concerned, Ondith nodded. Hiran, Shah’sun, and Zeka tried to move discretely. Ondith tried his best to carry Vasya and made sure no one else was following them.

~~~

When the Tra’Khal lost the laser power, he threw the gun away. Arno took this opportunity to charge at the Tra’Khal. Holding his dagger in one hand and his laser in the other. he fired at the Tra’Khal’s chest.

Although, the Tra’Khal’s vest seemed to deflect the laser. It disorientated the Tra’Khal. Arno took this opportunity to slash the Tra’Khal’s face.

The Tra’Khal snarled in pain as it staggered back. Slashing at the Tra’Khal’s arm, Arno brought the laser up to the Tra’Khal’s neck.

This is for Vron. Arno shot the laser into the Tra’Khal’s neck. Green blood splattered across the ceiling and onto Arno’s face.

He tried to wipe it away, but only smeared it across his face. Breathing heavily, Arno staggered a couple steps back.

That was nasty, Kiara said from behind him.

Startled at the voice, Arno turned and raised his laser. Kiara gave him a bored expression.

You’re one to talk, Arno said, catching his breath and lowering his gun.

She looked terrible. Blood seeped from the wounds on her thigh and arm. She gripped her side as she tried to breathe. A broken lip and several gashes marked her body.

Let’s get to the pod before more Tra’Khal arrive, Arno said. He walked over to Kiara. Perhaps she could not lift her arms up to his shoulder, because she rested her hands on his torso and leaned into him.

When they reached the cargo bay, they saw the other Ammoths boarding the safety pod. Ondith stood guard as Shah’sun and Zeka tried to get Vasya into the safety pod.

There are still a lot more of Tra’Khal that will be here if we don’t move soon, Arno said.

Footsteps could be heard in the distance. The Tra’Khal were searching for them. They didn’t have long.

Shah’sun left Vasya in Zeka’s arms. Shah’sun entered the safety pod. He fiddled with the controls, trying to turn the pod on.

Vasya pushed on Zeka. He patted Zeka’s shoulder, urging him to go into the pod. Once he was able to shakily stand on his own, Vasya mumbled something. Ondith looked at him confused, making Vasya shake his head.

How many more? Vasya’s weak voice came out. In the silence of the bay, Vasya’s voice was loud.

I don’t know. But we only got a small portion of them, Arno said.

Behind them, Shah’sun still struggled with the controls. The Tra’Khal’s stomps and snarls were closer. However, it seemed that Zeka and Shah’sun were no closer to getting the pod to work.

I have a plan, Vasya’s voice was still weak, but his tone was urgent. I’ll buy you some time. Just figure out how to get out of here.

It took all of them a moment to understand what Vasya was saying, before their faces revealed their dread. Ondith noticed the shift in mood in everyone around him. But he didn’t understand why. Vasya had spoken too fast for Ondith to understand.

You can’t do that! Kiara said, limping forward.

The sounds were closer to them. A loud snarl alerted them that the Tra’Khal leader was leading the swarm. Everyone looked to the door of the cargo bay and then back at Vasya.

I am already dying. I will not be able to make it through the entire journey. It’ll just be a burden for you. He looked at them earnestly. At least here, I’ll be of more help. So, go.

The snarls were louder now. Any minute, they would be found.

Go! Vasya growled, pushing those beside him.

Ondith still didn’t understand what was going on. He just relied on the expressions of those around him. Except they gave him no clue as to what was going on.

Arno walked up to Vasya, standing beside him. I’m not letting you do this alone.

Well, count me in, Kiara added, standing beside them. Let’s show them hell. 

A second later, Kiara looked to Hiran. She told him and the other Ammoths to leave. Hiran looked as if he would argue. But the determined glares      from all three humans stopped him short.

Giving them a short nod, Hiran entered the pod.

~~~

Ondith didn’t need anyone to explain what was happening. Kiara, Vasya, and Arno were staying behind. Giving the Ammoths a chance to fly away.

A heavy feeling settled in the pit of Ondith’s stomach. He tried to gulp but couldn’t. He was just starting to warm up to the humans. Especially Kiara. With a heavy heart and a nod, Ondith gave Kiara his gun and entered the pod.

Closing the pod door behind him, he kept looking outside at Kiara.

What’s wrong? Hiran shouted at Shah’sun and Zeka.

They kept working at the controls. However, nothing seemed to work.

The main interface of the pod is damaged. Shah’sun looked back as he tried to fix the wirings.

What do you need? Hiran asked.

Hiran rushed around in the pod trying to help Shah’sun and Zeka. Ondith stared outside one last time.

Kiara stood beside Vasya. Arno was nowhere to be seen. When Kiara turned around to look at the pod, her eyes connected with Ondith.

He sensed her fear.

No, her terror.

The dread knocked him off his feet making him want to gag.

Just as Ondith looked to the cargo bay doors, a Tra’Khal entered. Kiara turned around and shot it at the same time Vasya did. Her attention was back to the oncoming Tra’Khal.

Now the Tra’Khal came in droves. Ondith’s heart quickened as he looked out. He shook his head.

The commotion inside the pod grew louder as the other three Ammoths continued to find a cause for the issue. Clearing his mind of Kiara’s face, Ondith walked over to help them.

He lifted the panels as Zeka worked on them. When Zeka couldn’t understand what was going on, Zeka and Ondith changed positions. Ondith moved beneath the panels. The shouts and screams from Vasya and Kiara outside spurred him on even more. He had to do this for them.

The Humans’ sacrifice had to mean something. A blood curdling scream came from the outside, making all the Ammoths flinch. It sounded like Vasya. Tears blurred Ondith’s vision. The memory of Kiara’s terrified expression was the only thing that kept him going.

We got it! Zeka shouted as the control panel whirred back to life. The safety pod lit up, alerting the Tra’Khal. Ondith returned to his seat and looked outside the window.

Vasya’s dead body lay to the side. Torn and bloodied. The Tra’Khal surrounded Kiara. She struggled to hold her own. He saw the slashes all over her body as the pod lifted. She was getting weaker by the minute as the Tra’Khals inched towards her. Ondith closed his eyes as a tear slid down his cheek when one Tra’Khal slashed Kiara across her back.

She had no chance now.

Several Tra’Khal slammed against the pod as Zeka and Shah’sun tried to maneuver it. Finally, being able to completely control the pod, the Ammoths blasted through the Tra’Khal ship letting the Tra’Khal freeze and die in the cold of space.

Cyrox, The Human Files,

Interaction with a Human, Rule 53

Ignore Rules 1 – 52 if this happens. Humans are generally guarded, and their trust is only given to a select few. Their loyalty, to even fewer. However, on the rare occasion that a Human trusts you completely, and you have earned the loyalty of the Human, cherish your Human; it is your job to protect your Human. Ensure no harm will come to them. For they will do the same, if not more, for you.

Humans have been known to endanger themselves by walking through severely irradiated areas, or dangerous environmental conditions to ensure the safety of their team. Several Humans were lost in such battles.

Handle your human with care. For they are not as strong as they look. They are just immensely brave bordering stupidity (See phrase: Hold my beer) with enormous hearts for those dear to them.

"A recommendation to edit The Human Files?" Commander Volak asked.

Ondith had just submitted his report on the Humans. It didn’t take him long to write. It took Volak even less time to read it.

And you added Rule 53 to the book? Volak said, more to himself. Are you absolutely sure about this? Our experience with the Humans agrees with the first 52 rules.

Ondith paused for a moment before answering. Almost all our previous interactions with Humans had been with their leaders. We, of all species, should know that the leaders do not always represent the people they rule.

Ondith stopped walking, making Volak pause mid-step. What is it? Volak asked.

I have seen firsthand the greatness of these Humans. I’ve seen Humans lay down their lives just so we could survive. Flashes of Kiara swirled through his mind. The terror on her face. That was not something he could forget anytime soon. Or ever. I have seen Captain Arno blow up the Tra’Khal ship just to make sure the other Tra’Khal could not hurt anyone else.

Couldn’t these Humans just be an exception? Volak asked.

No, I don’t think so. I’ve read of other Humans who have done the same feats. Some had suffered even worse fates.  Ondith shook his head. These Humans. They’re still a young race. We need to give them a chance.

Volak looked down thoughtfully.

     If my assumption is right, the Humans would be the best of us. And also, the worst of us. 

At last, Volak nodded, and a sigh of relief passed Ondith.

Monitor them closely. If your Rule 53 is correct, then I believe we need to make another handbook about Human safety. Volak shook his head. Monitor them like we look after our children, please? I’d rather them not die again, if we can help it.

Ondith let out a small smile – which for him meant that